Sputum cup



April 4, 1950 F11-ed oct. 51,' 194e K. HAMILTON 2,503,045

sPUTUM cup 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Il :10, INV NToR.

KENNETH 6`. HAM/MM I I E o BY afro/EME?,

April 4, 1950 Y l K. c' HAMILTON y 2,503,045

SPUTUM CUP Filed Oct. '51, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 j- INVENTOR.

KEA/NET!! C. HHM/TON ,BY www Patented Apr. 4, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE sPUTUM CUP Kenneth C. Hamilton, Milwaukee County, Wist, assigner to Milwaukee Lace Paper (Jox'n'pari'y,` Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin'- Application October 31, 1946, Serial No. 707,001

This invention vrelates to` improvements in receptaclesl made of paper and in which at least some portions of the receptacle are applicable' to any one of a plurality of uses.

Paper receptacles, intended for a particular use of limited extent only, cannot be made at such cost as to be economicahy available to the public. However, if the receptacle is so designed that the various parts thereof may be made in quantity and assembled in different ways to perform any one of a number of functions, the manufacturing cost of such receptacles can be minimized to' the advantage of the consuming' public. Distribution of such special purpose receptacles to the public requires also that the receptacle be so designed as to minimize the space necessary for shipping'v and storing. Andv the receptacles should be so' designed as to require only a minimum of time and effort in assembly' for any one of the special uses to which the receptacle may be put.

It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a paper receptacle of which the elements may be so' assembled as' to be available for a plurality of special uses.

Another objectV of the invention is to provide' a paper receptacle in which a number of the same basic elements are employed in various combinations with other elements to adapt the receptacle to a variety of particular uses.

Another object of the invention is to provide a paper receptacle adaptable to a number of special uses and' in which various parts' are so designed as t'o b'e severally adaptable for shipping and storing in nested relation.

And a further object of the invention is to provide a paper receptacle adaptable to particular uses and in which the parts are so designed as to be capable of assemblage' in various combinations by the user' with suicient permanence and with a minimum of effort to serve the particular use desired.

Objects and advantages, other than those set forth above, will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on a vertical plane including line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the vertical `plane through line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a modified embodiment of one element of the structure shown in Figs. l to 4;

Fig. 6 is a'. cross section taken on the' vertca1 plane through line VI-VI of Fig'. 5;

Figs. 7 and 8, 9 and 10, 11 and 12, 13 and 14 are similar to Figs. 5 and 6 and show further 2 Claims. (Cl.- 1d-267) 2 modifications of the same element of the structure shown Figs. l.' to 4;

Fig. l5 is a top plan View of a modied form of two elements of th'e present invention; and

Fig. 16` is a cross section taken on a vertical plane through line" XVII-XVI of' Fig. l5.

Generally, the present structure comprises a receptacle of the paper cup type formed` to receive, in semi-permanent relation, a hollow mem ber of generally frusto-conical Shape capable of functioning as a support or a baille and a partial closure for the open en'd of the receptacle. When functioning as a` support, such member receives and retains an inner container of a shape simin lar to and a size smaller than the receptacle, in substantially uniformly' spaced relation to the wall and bottom of' the receptacle. A cover of generally circular or disklikeform, and with a tab extending therefrom may be applied to the container, the disk portion ofthe cover seating in the receptacle and on the support-baille m'ember and the cover tab projecting through a slot in the receptacle side Wall to aid in'retaining the cover in place and to serve as a handle for pivotal movement of the cover in the slot.

Referring particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral' 2'0' generally designates an openended receptacle formed with a side Wall 2l and a bottom 22", the side w'allfbeing frusto-conical in shape and' formed with an inwardly flanged portion 23 at one end to' co-actV with the remainder of the side wall in providing a space for receiving ay flange 24 on' the bottom' 22. The surfaces' defining' the bottom flange-receiving space' and the' surfaces' of the bottom flange are coated with adhesive and are pressed together to form a liquid-tight joint and tov provide a suitable base for the receptacle as is usual. The receptacle side wallI 2l is' rolled outwardly at the open or lip end to form. an outwardly extending bead 2l' at the lip of. the r'ece;':itacle.v A groove 28 isv formed in the receptacle side Wall, a relatively small distance' below' the line of Contact of the edge' of the bead with the receptacle sidewall and in the' interior' surface of the side wall, to provide space for' a slot 29N of a' width equal to the thickness ofl the cover` generally referredv to' above.

The receptacle side vWall groove 28 is of such width as to receive therein the edge of a substantially' annular member 3.3- Which is di-shed end provided with a lip bead 39 extending outwardly from the container side Wall. The member 33 is preferably of such width only that the container 36 will be spaced from the receptacle side wall 2| by the same distance as the inner container bottom 38 is spaced from the receptacle bottom 22. The container lip bead 39 provides a flange-like portion of suilcient strength to support the container and its contents suspended from the support member 33. Aside from the preferable form and size described, the inner container may be of any construction desired, as, for example the well-known plaited or pleated cup with a unitary side wall and bottom. In the construction above described, the space between the receptacle and the container may be lled with a refrigerant, such as solid carbon dioxide (so-called dry ice) while the container is filled with food to be sold in frozen condition, or such space may be filled with a heat radiating solid while the container is filled with food to be eaten while hot.

A cover generally designated i3 is formed with a circular or disk-like portion 44 and a taby 45 extending therefrom. The disk portion is preferably made of such size as to t into the open end of the receptacle and to rest on the support member 33 when the cover tab portion 45 is ex tended through the slot 29 in the receptacle side wall 23. If the cover is to be used only once during the life of the present device, the cover may be made relatively close-fitting in the receptacle and the tab serves only as a locating and holding means, while if the cover is to be used repeatedly during the life of the device, the cover is fitted loosely in the receptacle and the tab 45 serves as a handle by which the cover is pivoted in the slot 29.

When the device is to be used, for example, as a sputum cup in a tuberculosis sanitarium, the inner container 36 is omitted, the member 33 functions only as a baiile member and is preferably made with a smaller opening than when the device is used with the inner container. baille seats in the receptacle side wall groove sufficiently closely to prevent leakage of liquid between the edge of the baffle and the receptacle groove, if the device is accidentally upset. The device is particularly `suitable for use as a sputum cup because it requires little space for storage of the component parts, is readily assembled, is self-sustaining and covered when in use, and is disposable as a whole whenever desired. Hence, there is no need for a holder which must be sterilized daily.

For some purposes, the baie member is preferably made as shown in Figs. 5 to 14 inclusive. In Figs. 5 and 6, the member is formed with a ange 5U extending at right angles to the vertical axis through the baiile, and the baffle wall 5l is formed at a different angle to the vertical baiiie axis than disclosed above, for example, at an angle to the vertical axis of sixty degrees as compared with the thirty degrees angle shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Further, some uses of the bafie require that the wall be formed with a cylindrical portion 53, as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 11, 12 in which the cylindrical portion serves to stiifen the frusto-conical portion of the baflle and pre- Vents distortion thereof. When it is desired to obtain the highest possible degree of seating and sealing of the baffle in the receptacle side wall groove 28, the bailie is formed with a bead 55 at Thel the larger baiiie end the bead being slightly larger in size than the groove 28 but conforming in shape thereto, and thus increasing the area of baffle surface bearing in the groove. When a greater rigidity in the Vertical axial direction is required in a baiiie than can be obtained in the structures described above, a series of utes 51 are formed in the baille, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14. The flutes of course, may be variously arranged and formed within the scope of the present invention.

The maximum holding and sealing of the support-baffle member 33 is obtained when such member is formed with a substantially cylindrical end portion lill and a conical wall portion 6 l with a peripheral rib 52 extending outwardly from the juncture of the cylindrical and conical wall surfaces. Such cylindrical baiile portion and rib are also preferably made slightly larger than and conforms in shape with that portion of the receptacle and with the receptacle Wall groove in which the cylindrical baille portion and the rib, respectively, are t0 be seated. Hence, the groove and the rib and the receptacle and baille wall surfaces which are in frictional engagement, provide greatly increased surface areas for holding the baffle in the receptacle and provide a greatly improved seal against leakage between such surfaces as compared to the embodiments previously described.

Although but a few embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a paper receptacle, an open-ended receptacle having an internal groove in the side wall thereof adjacent the open end of the receptacle and a slot in the side wall between the groove and the open receptacle end, a baille memloerI of generally frusto-conical shape seating at its larger periphery in the receptacle side Wall groove, and a cover having a disk portion fitting into the receptacle to lie on the bailie and having a tab extending from the disk portion for extension through the receptacle side Wall slot.

2. The combination with an open-ended receptacle having a snap-in baiiie positioned in a groove in the side wall of the receptacle, of a slot in said wall above said groove, and a cover seated on said baffle and having a tab extending r through said slot, said cover being pivoted upwardly when said tab is depressed.

KENNETH C. HAMILTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 317,997 Hollet May 19, 1885 1,027,924 Starr May 28, 1912 1,031,648 Johnson July 2, 1912 1,217,599 Hill Feb. 27, 1917 1,497,159 Porter June 10, 1924 2,167,111 Hamilton July 25, 1939 2,171,748 Hamilton Sept. 5, 1939 2,339,665 Alman Jan. 18J 1944 

